Gene-Edited Microbe Provides Crops with Nitrogen Boost at Grand Farm

The microbe, developed by Pivot Bio, has the potential to massively increase the yield from crops like corn and barley.

WHEATLAND, N.D. (KVRR) – It was a field day – literally – at Grand Farms Innovation Campus in Wheatland on July 16.

The agriculture company Pivot Bio unveiled Proven G3, which are gene-edited-nitrogen-fixing microbes.

That may sound complicated – and it is – but the way it is beneficial to crops is relatively simple.

Naturally occurring microbes in the soil will stop producing their own nitrogen when they sense that it’s being applied by an outside source – like fertilizer.

“They found a way to gene-edit those microbes so that they’re – for lack of a better term – unaware that we’re applying copious amounts of nitrogen to the soil,” explained Joe Olson, agronomy lead for Pivot Bio. “So they keep running the factory, they keep producing nitrogen.”

Some of the fields there at the Grand Farm Innovation Campus have seen the application of those gene edited nitrogen fixing microbes, and that is where tours took place, letting farmers know how those microbes can benefit their farming operations.

Pivot Bio took anyone interested to the trial plots, showing them performance data and explaining how this could significantly increase farmers’ yield while keeping the soil healthier at the same time.

“Giving the grower something to help manage and buffer that nutritive stress that the plant goes through throughout the year,” said Travis Frey, Chief Technology Officer for Pivot Bio.

They say it’s been a long time in development, but they’re excited to see Proven G3’s impact on a larger scale, and to continue finding ways to help farmers increase their productivity.